Tag Archives | dogs

Buenos Aires has a stray dog problem. You’ll immediately notice it if you spend any time here, especially since it is in stark contrast to most of the US. In all parts of the city, stray dogs roam the streets and it seems like the city has done very little to counter the problem. There are neighborhoods were the problem is less pronounced, but if you look hard enough you’ll be sure to find them everywhere. It’s a sad thing to see, and most people tend to avoid the dogs as they do not know what diseases they may have or what their temperament may be.

One day after I first met Laura, we were driving when we saw a couple of strays scrounging for food. She pulled over, telling me that she had to feed them. She opened the trunk and pulled out a bag of dog food, bottles of water and plastic trays for just this occasion. It seemed a bit odd to me at first, but I realized how impressed I was with her for caring the way she did and trying to do something about the issue. She also donates to a local shelter operation and her dog, Blanquita, is a rescue as well. We’ve always talked about having a second dog at some point in the future – one we would adopt from a shelter.

So, fast forward to Thursday morning… I was on my way to the gym and at the corner of my block, I noticed a black dog limping behind some people. At first I thought she was with them, because we do not have many street dogs in our neighborhood. But, then I noticed her stop at the corner to drink from a puddle, so I turned around to go back towards her. I called her and she immediately limped over to me. She was so sweet and friendly even though it was apparent her leg was causing her a great deal of discomfort. A woman on the street saw us and helped me get some rope from a shop on the corner to fashion a makeshift leash. We walked home and I woke Laura with the “surprise” I had for her.

She immediately called her local vet who told us to come right in. We took her there and had her cleaned up – she had over 30 ticks on her and he thought she had no idea what a bath even was. Then x-rays determined that she had a broken leg that had probably been that way for over 3 months.

We’re caring for her now, but she is restricted to a small area of the apartment until we get all her shots. She is also very thin and needs to put on some weight before they can operate on her leg. She’ll need a pin inserted, but the doctor seemed positive about her outcome. Plus, she’s learned to get around on it pretty well already.

So, not necessarily what we planned for with one dog and a 5-week old already, but fate brought us together and we’re glad she’s here. Laura named her almost immediately and I knew she was staying. So, welcome to the family “Michigan!’

Gay marriage is now legal in Buenos Aires after President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner signed the bill into law last week. Perhaps the best headline I saw about this was, “Argentina approves gay divorce.” 🙂 Here’s what else is making news over the past week:

Argentine Peso Gets Lift From Record Soy Harvest as Volatility Gauge Sinks [Bloomberg] Argentine currency traders are reducing expectations for peso fluctuations to the lowest since March as a record soybean harvest swells export revenue in South America’s second-biggest economy. Economists predict it will weaken to 4.2 per dollar by year-end, according to the median of 13 estimates in a Bloomberg survey. The consensus forecast was 4.5 per dollar a year ago.

Buenos Aires on a leash [The Christian Science Monitor] Argentine dogs live a life of pampered sophistication in this elegant city as dog walkers can earn more than teachers here.

BA Construction Activity Rises 10% [InvestBA] Recent headlines regarding Buenos Aires real estate sales activity have been improving steadily this year, and La Nación says builders are starting to feel equally optimistic. During the first five months of 2010, the construction industry posted a 10% increase in new projects under development, while the sale of condominiums and single-family homes advanced 7.1%, according to the Universidad Argentina de la Empresa (UADE).

Lower Congress Approves Glacier Protection Law [The Argentina Independent] After 12 hours of debate, Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies approved a law that would limit mining and oil drilling activity in the country’s Andean ice fields on Thursday morning. The legislation’s provisions are similar to a glacier protection law that President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner controversially vetoed in 2008.

Maradona to continue as Argentina coach [AP] Diego Maradona will reportedly remain as coach of Argentina’s national team, a decision he is expected to announce next week after meeting with Argentine Football Association president Julio Grondona.

What’s the deal with Buenos Aires? [NY Post] Argentina’s capital is overhyped, overcrowded and terrifically annoying. It also might be one of the best places you’ll ever visit.

Private Parking Lots Forced To Offer Space For Bikes In Buenos Aires [TreeHugger] In a city where bike theft is a very good reason to make you doubt about riding somewhere, providing parking facilities is almost as important as creating new bike paths. This is the case in Buenos Aires (and many cities around the world), and the reason why it’s so good to hear that the government has pushed a new law to provide several bike-parking facilities, including spaces inside private parking lots at lower rates. If you ride in Buenos Aires or are thinking about doing it, you need to read this.